A day after saying tourism travel is not essential, Malacañang said staycation will be allowed in the NCR+ or the five areas placed under a general community quarantine (GCQ) bubble for the next two weeks.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque made the statement after President Duterte approved placing the National Capital Region (NCR), Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal under a GCQ bubble from March 22 to April 4 to arrest the spike in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases.
In his Monday presser, Roque said that tourism activities like going to resorts and staycations will be allowed as long as they take place within the bubble.
"Basta nasa loob po ng bubble, wala pong problema (As long as it is within the bubble, there won't be any problem)," he said.
He, however, clarified that only those aged 18 to 59 are allowed to go on staycations.
"Yung mga mag-s-staycation dito po sa Metro Manila, allowed pa rin po 'yan pero bawal po ang seniors, bawal po ang mga bata (Those who will go on a staycation in Metro Manila, that will be allowed but seniors and minors will not be allowed)," he said.
The Palace official explained that the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases allowed staycations to help boost economic recovery.
"Hindi naman po kasi lalabas ng bubble 'yan. Sa loob lang po 'yan ng bubble (These activities will not go beyond the bubble)," Roque said.
"Ine-enganyo pa rin po natin ang negosyo sa loob ng bubble (We still encourage business activities inside the bubble)," he added.
During the same briefing, Philippine National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, as an example, said Metro Manila residents will be allowed to go to Tagaytay but not in Boracay because the latter is already outside the bubble.